Deserve it and you will have it (contd....)

[Guest guest]

Swamiji narrated an anecdote from the Bhagavatham, which happened just before the 'Nirvan' of Lord Krishna. Krishna and Arjuna were

walking in the forest and Krishna felt thirsty and asked Arjuna to bring

water. Arjuna went in search of water and conies

across a cottage, wherein a lady was worshipping Krishna. A picture of Krishna was in front of her. She had applied 'kum-kum' and decorated it with flowers. In front was a

newly decorated cushion. On both sides of the picture, however, was a naked

sword hanging on the wall. As Arjuna looked in he was

amazed. He could not understand the significance of words there. The old lady

opened her eyes and saw Arjuna. Arjuna

asked her for water and she readily gave it. He also sought her permission to

ask a question: " Mother, I am greatly bewildered. I see that you are a

great devotee of Lord Krishna and your heart is saturated with love for Him. I

see a picture of Krishna and a cushion that has not been used by anyone.

But I wonder what those two naked swords are for. You are so old and you surely

cannot use them. And you are filled with love and the atmosphere is so pure. In

such an atmosphere, what could you possibly need these swords for? "

 

The old woman said: " The sword on the left is meant for Draupadi and on the right for Arjuna " .

The bewildered Arjuna asked: " What is their

crime that you have kept swords ready for them? What have they done? "

 

She flared up and said: " You say they have

not committed any crime. For the sake of ephemeral power, Arjuna

troubled and pestered the Lord so much. For the sake of a throne, which after

all is bound to pass, he compelled the Lord to wash his horses and made all

sorts of demands on him. If I see Arjuna, I will cut

off his head. Draupadi was the worst sinner. She

harried the Lord so much. While she was being stripped in court she began to

call upon Him and the Lord had to run to help her. He had to change Himself

into a roll of cloth to cover her and save her honor. Why was she so particular

about it? If she had left her saree go when it was

pulled, no harm would have come to her. After all the body is a corpse and

after it dies you do not care whether it is kept covered or not. And on every

slight occasion she was calling upon Krishna, wanting Him to save her even though she had

not given Him any devotion. If I see her I will cut off her head too. " Arjuna was really taken aback. Then he asked about the

cushion. The old lady said that the cushion is for true devotees like Uddhava and for Gopis who loved

the Lord selflessly, who did not make the least demands on Him in return for

their devotion and love.

 

After narrating this story, Swamiji told

us that we should not use the

divine power for

gaining petty material advantages which are not going to

last in any case. We should not use such great power be used for spiritual

growth and enlightenment? One's devotion should be utterly selfless, should not

be accompanied by any petty or trivial desire Pleasure and pain come and go,

and all misfortunes a fortunes do not last. True devotion is free from selfish

desire.

 

Mind can be trained by 'Vairagya'

(detachment) and 'Abhyasa' (studies).

Realisation

of transistorizes " Vairagya1. Ceaseless meditation is 'Abhyasa'.

 

So long as even the slightest trace of ego

remains, the objective cannot be achieved. When the Sadhaka cannot tolerate such state and finds himself incapable of

doing anything else, then he reaches the limit of Santi, Surrender in the real sense of the term comes only then,

and this results in egolessness and achievement of

the goal.

-

By O.V.G. Subramanyam

 

(Source Shri Sai Padananda

October 1992)